Results tagged “stds”

When the City authorized an over-the-counter version of the "morning after" pill last fall, we wondered how quickly its effects would be felt. Well, a study released by the City Council yesterday found that unwanted pregnancies and abortions have been down in the City thanks to the availability of over-the-counter emergency contraception.

What better way to ring in the election results two days ago than with tons of the same irresponsible sex that folks in those pesky Red States point to as destroying this fine country? And in order to prevent any annoying pregnancy from getting in the way of all of that reveling, the over-the-counter version of the "morning after" pill will be available in our own city very soon. If taken within 72 hours after sex, the pill should aid in preventing pregnancy and will be available to women over the age of 18 without a prescription. Teenagers and kids deciding to knock boots will still need a doctor's script to get their hands on one. Pharmacies can definitely choose (for some reason) not to carry the medication, but must display a sign stating so.

New York High Schoolers, here's your Gothamist Health back-to-school checklist!

Last week, news that a rare, more virulent strain of HIV was found shocked New Yorkers, especially the gay community. This strain seems to speed the progression from HIV to AIDS more quickly (here's the NIH on AIDS and HIV). The NY Times showed the interesting generational divide between older gay men who have seen their friends die and young gay men, who know that people with HIV can sometimes live long lives with the help of drug cocktails. And today, the Times notes "Gay Users of Internet Play Down Concerns Over New Strain of AIDS," as scientists studying this strain say that though the news is alarming, there is no conclusive evidence - yet - that there is a supervirus; there could be genetic factors in the diagnosed patient that might have caused the virus to spread rapidly.